THE INVINCIBILITY OF JOHNSON

Grey River Argus, 22 April 1911, Page 7

THE INVINCIBILITY OF JOHNSON

«+» ... WAiVTS £6000 TO FIGHT. If Mr W. W. Naughton, the prominent San Francisco sporting- journalist were a quarter of a century youny | er, one would he inclined to look him up and down as a "white man's hope." For this man, who spends a third of his life at the ringside, stands 6ft 2in., and is as massive a piece of manhood as has trod the flags of "Willis Street for quite a time. His ringside weight' one would judge to tie about 17st., his touring weight perhaps half a stone more. But he is as genial as he is large, and when, he talks of (fighters he does so with a certain solid authority and conviction that there is no disputing. All who take pleasure in reading the American letter in the Sydney "Referee," know his breezy style and racy diction. <Mr Naughton is passing through Wellington en route to Auckland and Sydney. He was born in the former city, and has a lasting love for the latter. One cannot, of course, be in his company long without talking of boxing. THE LATEST "HOPE." "You've heard of Carl Morris, who defeated Scherek the other day," said Mr Naughton, in) opening the subject. "He is being! referred to as the latest 'hope of the white race' to get 'back the boxing- championship from Johnson. That iiglit doesn't count for anything. Scherek is nothing — a big, fat man who loves lots of liquor. He is too\ stout to be considered a factor in fighting at all, so Morris's win stands for nothing. I don't know Morris at all, and can't say if he has any chance of climbing. H e is one of the 'hopes!' After the Jeffries-Johnson fight (witnessed by Mr. Naughton) a craze was throuighiouT- fhJe country to find someone capable of 'beating John son, and all the big burly fellows of every town were looked over and tried out to see if there existed one superman. This Morris was a( fireman down at Sapulpo, in Oklahoma. He liked the game, and as soon as Jeffries was ibeaten he gave up his work and said he was going- to train with the idea of 'beating- the life out of Johnson. It read-like an American space-writer's dream, but he is doing well, though nothing, so far, to justify the highest hopes. Now, if Morris had met Jim Flynn, the Pueblo fireman (who beat your Squires) you could get some] sort of line as to Morris's class, 'but this Scherek mill does not count. JOHNSON'S PRE-EMINENCE. "Johnson is out by himself. There is no one in sight, white or black, who could beat Langford, and Langford would have no chance with Jack Johnson ,in my hurrible opinion. The only man who will "beat Johnson is Johnson himself. If he does not watch out, he will deteriorate physically, and, one of these days, some husky "young fellow will give him a surprise. If He looks after himself he will reign as champion for a good many years to come. He is enjoying life to the limit, — has three of four automobiles, and races all over the country, gets arrested, and pays his fines. The story that he was g-aoled is not true — at least he "had not been gaoled before I left 'Frisco. He had an automobile race with Barney Oldfield, but now he wants another, but Barney is not reaching out. JOHNSON'S TERMS. "Ten days before I left 'Frisco I had a cable from Mr Hugh Mclntosh offering 30,000 dollars (£6000) for a match between Johnson and Langford, either in Paris or London, with Corrie as referee. I 'phoned John son, and made an appointment with him along the beach. He came flashing out in one if his cars, and I laid the proposition before him. He said that he wanted £6000 for his own share. M'lntosh had given that amount to Burns in Sydney, and why should not he (Johnson) get it in London or Paris? Anyhow, he would not fight with any but an American referee, and that in itself was a stumbling- block, as it would hardly be the thing to cast such a slur on the English referees. My opinion is that Johnson does not want to fight, and h<» does not want to (fight Langford. He told me that if he did not get another fight within six months on hTs own terms (£6OOO and an American referee) Tie intended to retire from the game altogether. . "Though there is nothing very good at present in the heavy-weight class, there are lots of splendid lightweights — one in nearly every town in America. One of the best of them is 'Knock-out' Brown, of New York. Chicago has a good one, and so has 'Frisco, and T have heard of MeTipgan, of Sydney. I am surprised to hear of the poor opinion expressed of Papke. He was a good man in the class that woWbled between middle and heavy-weights. The late Stanley Ketchell was the best, and I place Papke next." "ONLY ONEsTHRILL. Mr Naughton was present at the big aviation meeting held recently in San Francisco. "You take your seat in the grandstand," says he, "and see a man fly round the course once — twice ! It is a great thrill, but it doesn't last. It's the same filing over and over again. Radley, on a Bleriot, flew round the harbour, and hovered over the ferry boats and warships, and got a great ovation. When he returned to the field, Latham, the Frenchman, asked him if he had gone through the 'Golden Gate, and, on being told that lie had not,' Latham on his little Antoinette, went soaring away to the coast, and entered the harbour " through the Gate. The Frenchman got all over the Englishman that time. Another feat was that of .Ely's, who alighted on a platform 'built on a warship and rose from it. A few' days later, at San Diego, Glen Curtiss, in his "hydroplane, alighted on the water, and rose from, it with the ease and grace of a third."